Hoisting device.



PATENTED MAY '7, 1907 I J. H. DOWNBY.

HOISTING DEVICE.

APPLICATION FILED JUNE 15, 1906.

"III

WITNESSES.-

A TTORNE Y5 UNITED STATES JAMES H. DOWNEY, OF

HOISTING DEVICE.

Specification of Letters Patent.

"PATENT orr on. y"

GAINESVILLE, GEORGIA.

Patented May 7,1907.

Application filed June 15, 1906. Serial No. 321,939.

- citizen of the United States, residing at Gainesville, in the county of Hall and State of Georgia, have invented a new and useful Hoisting Device, of which the following is a specification.

This invention relates to hoisting devices such as are used particularly for raising telegraph poles into position, although the device of this invention can of course be used for other purposes whenever desired.

The operation of raising telegraph poles into'upright position is usually attended with considerable di'l'liculty by reason of the fact that it is necessary to employ a lofty framework or tripod which is usually at least onehalf as high as the telegraph pole and is therefore extremely cumbersome in construction and diflicult to move from place to place each time a new pole is to be planted.

The object of the present invention is to provide an extremely simple, strong, durable, inexpensive and compact device which can be readily transported from place to place as well as easily placed in proper position, and which is adapted in a thoroughly practical manner to raise a telegraph pole or the like into position to be properly planted in the ground.

With the foregoing and other objects in view, which will appear as the description proceeds, the invention resides in the combination and arrangement of parts and in the details of construction hereinafter described 'and claimed, it being understood that changes n the precise embodiment or invention herein disclosed can be made within the scope of the following claims without departing from the spirit of the invention or sae- I rificing any of its advantages.

In. the accompanying drawings forming part of this specification: Figure 1 is a side elevation of a hoisting device constructed in accordance with the present invention, in the act of raising a pole. Fig. 2 is'a vertical sec tion through the support of the hoisting device. Fig 3 is a horizontal section through the pushing member above the support". which is shown in plan. Fig. 4 is a front elevation of the pushing member. Fig. 5 is a longitudinal section and Fig. 6 is an enlarged section through the pushing member at a right angle to Fig. 5.

Like reference numerals indicate corresponding parts in the different figuresof'the drawings. I

The improved hoistingdevice of this ining flexible pushing member'A which, while it may be of any suitable construct-ion, preferably is formed of a plurality of rigid sections 1 which are pivotally connected with flex or bend slightly in one direction and can be folded upon each other in the opposite disuitable form and construction, said sections preferably consist of angle-irons awhichare separated from each other by filling pieces I) and are held in assembled position by bolts or other suitable devices 0.

As shown in the drawing, each ofpthe the opposite sides of the filling piec'cs bfis formed at one end with a perforated ear-or member 2 extends, the ears or extensions d or one section being htted between the inner flanges or the ad ac-ent section on opposite cut away at its ends toprovide narrow cavitiesto receive the ears d. Each 01 the filling the angle-irons a into the space bet-ween the perforated ears (I, so that when the rigid secpiece of one section will project for a certain next adjacent section, as shown, whereby to brace the sections with respect to each other and thus prevent lateral bending of the pushing member A when in extended position. It will be obvious that the sections 1 can be 3 folded in a forward direction upon each other, and that backward flexing of the sections 1 with respect to each other is pro.- vented by the filling pieces I) which contact i with each other at their ends. In some cases I it is desirable that the pushing 1neniber A should be permitted to flex backward to a i limited extent. I prefer to arrange for this limited backward flexing of the pushing lmeinber A by forming each of the filling l pieces I) and angle-irons a with slightly beveled ends, as indicated at 0,50 that when all the rigid sections 1 are extended in such l manner that the beveledends of the different each other, as indicated at 2, so that they can 1 extension (I through which the bolt or pivot.

pieces 1) projects forward beyond the ends of tions are in extended position, the fillingvention preferably comprises a self-support rection. /While the sections 1 may be of any flanges of the angle-irons a which fit against 8o sides of the filling piece I) which is suitably v I distance in between the anglc irons of the mit said rod 40 to be rotated whenever necvice E is employed essary. The upper end of the rod 40 is hooked or bent, as shown at 44, and is provided with a pulley 45 through which extends a flexible element 46 provided at its end with a hook 47 by means of which the flexible element can be passed around the pole C to form a loop for elevating said pole. The opposite end of the flexible element 46 extends around a drum 48 on the support B, said drum being provided with a gear element 49 which is operated by a gear wheel 5Q having a crank handle 51, accidental rearward movement of the gear element 49 being prevented by a pawl 52. In operating the improved device, the auxiliary elevating defor lifting the pole high enough to fit it into the engaging device D when the flexible pushing member A is in its lowest position.

As shown in the drawing, the self-supporting flexible pushing member A is preferably constructed so that the curve which it will form when flexed slightly backward, will form a segment of a circle having for its center the lower end of the telegraph pole C; that is, theend which rests upon the ground. For this reason, when the su port B has been pro erly adjusted so that it will move the pus ing memberupward on the segment of a circle having the bottom ofthe pole for its center as described, it will be unnecessary to chan e the inclination of the support B during t e whole time that the pole is being raised to elevated position, as,- of course, the portion of the pushing member A which is moving out of the upper end of the support B will always maintain the same angle with respect to said supportB irrespective of the position of the pole.

When the operation of raising the pole is first begun, the flexible pushing member A is disposed along the surface of the ground in front of the support B and with its end extending upward through said support B. As the operating mechanism, including the lever 20, is actuated, the pushing member is moved upward thus dragging its forward end slowly. toward the support B. When the pole has been completely raised and prop erly lanted the pawl 24 and the h nged mem or 22 are moved out of engagement with the pushing member and said member is drawn slowly downward through the support B, this operation being accomplished by a workman grasping the lower end of the flexi ble pushing member and drawing it along the ground so that it will slide downward through the supporting member. A

In order to facilitate the downwardmovement of the flexible pushing member A, I provide automatic means for unlocking the resilient catches 3 which in one form of the invention are used for locking the sections 1 together. The preferred means for unlockingthe sections consists of a wiping member which is mounted beneath t e support B in such manner that the sections 1 of the member A will scrape or move thereover so that the beveled head-s 4 will be pushed rearward into the openings 6 so as to permit the flexible member A to bend and be drawn along the ground in a forward direction away from the support B. The wiping member 60.

preferably is in the nature of acurved bar of metal which is suitably secured to the supporting member B at its upper end and is tapered as shown in Fig. 2, so that as the flexible pushing member is drawn downward: through the supporting member B in the manner described, the projecting ends 4 of the resilient catches 3 will wipe over said member 60 and be thereby pushed backward so as to become disengaged from the perforations 6 and thus unlock the different sections of the flexible member.

The improved device of this invention is strong, simple, durable and inexpensive in construction as well operation. It can: be carried readily from point to point and easily and quickly arranged in operative position. its use avoids the necessity of constructing lofty tripods for raising the telegraph pole into position. Furthermore, it avoids the danger and expense of using spiked pushing poles which are sometimes employed by a gang of men in raising a pole to roper position.

f at any time the pivotal connections between the sections 1 of the flexible pushing member should become slightly worn so as to ermit a small amount of lateral movement, whereby the telegraph pole mi ht be permitted to swing toone side or the other, it would be advisable to employ two of the improved hoisting devices of this invention, the two devices being separated from each as thoroughly eflicient in 1 other to a slight extent and having their two flexible pushing members converging upward to the pole.-

' It will be understood, of course, that the ole which is being raised into position can be steadied with suitable guide ropes which may be attached to the pole and held by men at their lower ends so as to prevent lateral swinging of the pole. Ordinarily, however, the guide ropes can be dispensed with.

What is claimed as new is:

1. A hoisting device having a curved self-'- supporting flexible pushing member.

2. A hoisting device having a curved selfsupporting flexible pushing member comprising a plurality of pivotally connected sections.

3. A hoisting device having a curved'selfsupporting flexible pushing member comprising a plurality of pivotally connected sections and means for automatically holding said sections in extended position.

4. A hoisting device having a self-supporting flexible pushing member adapted to fold in one direction and to flex slightly in the opposite direction.

5. A hoisting device having a flexible pushing member comprising a plurality of pivotally connected sections provided with resilient catches ,for li)cking the same in extended position.

6. A hoisting device having a curved flexible pushing member, operating mechanism for moving said pushing member longitudinally, and means forautomatically locking said pushing member in extended position.

7. A hoisting device having a flexible push- Is ally connected sections, means for automat- 'ically lockingthe said sections together in ing member comprising a plurality of pivot- "extended position, means for moving said pushing member longitudinally, and auto- 'matic means for unlocking the sections of said pushing member.

8. A hoisting device comprising a support,

means for adjusting the position of the support, a flexible pushing member extending through the support, said member being adapted to flex backward when in extended position and operating mechanism carried'by the support for moving the pushing member "longitudinally: i

9. A hoisting device comprising a support having a plurality of rigid'legs and a plurality of adjustablelegs, a flexible'pushing member support, a flexible pushing member extend ing member being adapted to flex'backward on the segment of a circle havingthe lower 7 end of the pole for its center, and means carried by the support for moving the pushing member upward. t

12. A hoisting device comprising a support, a pushing member comprising a lurality of pivotally connected sections beveled ends, so as to be ada ted to flex backward when in extended position and operating mechanism carried by-the support for moving the pushing member. r-

18." A pole hoisting device comprising a support having a pair of rigid legs, a pair of pivotal legs having shoes on their lower ends, an adjusting screw for changing the position of the pivotal legs, an o erating lever mounted on said support and aving a hinged member, a pushing member comprising a plurality of pivotally connected sections having beveled ends and transversely extending rack members, said pushing member extending upward through said support, resilient catches carried by the sections of saidpushing member for automatically locking the same in extended position, a saddle piece connected with the upper end of said pushing member, a cam member mounted underneath said support and adapted to engage said resilient catches for unlocking the secaving' tions of the pushing member, and an auxiliary elevating device carriedby said support. 1n testimony that I claim-the foregoing as my own, I have hereto 'atlixed my signature in the presence of two witnesses.

JAMES H. DOXVNEY. Witnesses: E. HUME TALBERT, M. J. WARRINER. 

